The Half Blood Prince Revealed

Summary :

Harry's summer before sixth year is no different from the others. Around every corner surprises, good and bad, and adventure of all kind await. And it looks like the gods have finally granted Harry a possibility for a nicer life. What will this mean for his 6th year at Hogwarts ?

General Disclaimer :

I am just playing in the sand of JKRowling's literary produced beach and am attempting to build my own sandcastle for others to enjoy.

Author's Note : Sorry for the delay in posting. Both the past two weeks and those coming up are quite busy and I doubt I'll be able to post next week.

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19 Gathering news

He didn't need to look very far to have his suspicions confirmed. Everybody in his party, but one, was still laughing and joking. Ginny however, sitting next to him, who'd been rosy-cheeked and grinning moments earlier, now looked pinched and pale and was staring out as if dazed, a spoon full of ice cream apparently forgotten.

"Sorry, guys, but the party is over. There are dementors coming." interrupted Harry.

Remus looked up, saw both Ginny and him looking the worse for wear, and took out his wand, whispered a few words Harry couldn't make out and the next moment a small silvery white vapour escaped from Remus' wand, quickly disappearing off in the air.

Mrs Weasley, Luna and Neville were warning as many people around as possible, but it was Remus, casting a sonorous, who made the announcement so everybody in and around Diagon Alley could hear.

"Attention everyone, can anyone who attended either of the Defence classes, with knowledge of the patronus, however feeble at the moment, please stay behind. All the others, especially children, please go inside, try to leave the Alley. We have dementors and possibly Death Eaters coming."

Harry was pleasantly surprised everyone was following instructions quickly and in a calm manner. A few people came to join them, some muttering the incantation as if to make sure they wouldn't forget. Mr Fortescue came out too and started handing out pieces of chocolate. Harry quickly grabbed a piece and handed it to Ginny.

"Here, Ginny, eat this now, it'll help a little." said Harry, pulling her closer to him, and turning to the others "Don't forget, think of anything positive, the more things the better, be it the smile of your wife, the smell of cut grass, the feel of the sun on your face, or the love in your heart. We'll manage just fine." And Harry silently asked his parents and Sirius for help. If he could spread his anti-dementor to all those around them with even only the slightest wisp of patronus they would stand a good chance until the aurors came.

And then the first dementors arrived, clearly surprised to find so few people around. Knowing the people weren't all that safe inside the shops, Harry smiled when he suddenly felt the warmth spreading through his being and he cast his patronus. Prongs was bigger and brighter than ever as he erupted from the tip of Harry's wand. Soon a whole silver white array of animals was attacking the dementors and Harry noticed to his shock that the dementors did not retreat in time but they simply went up in a puff of smoke as Prongs and some of the others hit them. Another thing to write in his diary.

The first aurors appeared a few looking on in amazement as they saw the last of the dementors go up in smoke. Fortunately, several of the aurors had remained vigilant, most likely trainees under Mad-Eye, thought Harry, and had set up wards and barriers so that when a group of some twenty Death Eaters popped into existence the auror force with the element of surprise still firmly on their side, were quick to unarm and capture them.

And so before it had well and truly started, the Death Eaters were transported away and the dementors were all gone. Those who'd helped out were astonished. Someone who'd never produced more than a white vapour now had come up with a strong full-bodied patronus. They'd all experienced the warmth flooding them and hearing loved ones laughing and joking. The shoppers seeing as how the coast was clear came pouring out of the shops, equally elated at what they'd experienced and seen.

Harry suddenly realised he still had his arm around Ginny, and slowly, reluctantly, let her go, now blushing as much as any Weasley.

Remus once again became the voice of reason, and urged his little group back to Grimmauld Place. "It's going to be a mad house pretty soon, and the press and ministry will want explanations. Why don't you all go ahead and return and Mrs Weasley and I will do the explaining. Kingsley Shacklebolt came as part of the rescue auror delegation and is still here, so I'll fill him in on the details."

They realised Remus was right and so Neville's gran, Hermione's parents and the seven students made their way back to Grimmauld Place, where Winky awaited them with a fine spread of much needed tea and scrumptious chocolates. With the adrenaline of a successful defence still coursing through their veins tea became quite an animated affair, until suddenly, they all fell silent, much like a deflating hot air balloon.

By the time Mrs Weasley and Remus returned they had recovered enough to talk once again, especially as Mr and Mrs Granger had asked for an explanation. Harry, remembering that Dudley had felt the dementor presence but not been able to see them, explained the situation to the wizards but leaving Hermione to explain about them to her parents.

More tea and chocolates were provided for Mrs Weasley, Tonks, Mad-Eye and Remus when they returned and the group spent another half hour comparing stories, until both Mr Weasley and Dobby appeared. Mr Weasley's agitated state quickly evaporated when he found his family all accounted for and in good spirits. Dobby announced dinner would be ready in fifteen minutes so they all took the opportunity to refresh and change from their outfits.

Later that night, as Harry was preparing himself for bed, he looked back at the unexpected end to an unexpected day.

It had started when Harry and his friends had been seated at the table, ready for dinner. One of the younger and newest recruits to the order had arrived, quickly followed by several others. Remus solved the awkward problem by inviting them to stay for dinner. It was a good thing that Dobby and Winky took the challenge of unexpectedly providing many more mouths with food with such ardour as by the time dinner ended, the original party of fourteen had more than doubled to thirty, most newcomers young order members.

Harry learned a little about the way the order worked that day. It seemed that most new recruits as well as some of the older ones were working as either an auror or a ministry employee. Grimmauld Place, or Order HQ as it was also known, was used as the debriefing place for the members, reporting whatever they figured was off or strange in their particular domain. Hearing another piece in a puzzle might just make the difference between having trouble and being able to solve the problem before it became a full-blown catastrophe.

But with the unpleasant situation at the house, nobody had ever bothered hanging around much. After the house had been closed down, many assumed for refurbishments, and the place had looked so inviting, people had started to linger, especially aided by the well-stocked fridge, a bonus many of the younger single order members had taken to very well. The house was starting to resemble a social club more than anything, as Tom Winters had explained. The very first evening the house had been reopened, he had arrived after a hard day out on the street. The weather was brilliant, and it had left him parched, so, as a reflex he'd opened the cool box in the kitchen searching for a drink when he'd spotted the pan of food. He'd served himself a portion and heated it up, and was still in the process of eating when two other order members had arrived, partaking in the feast, as had he. Word of the food provided had quickly spread among the order members so now not even two weeks later, usually between fifteen and twenty order members showed up each evening, lingering far longer than the debriefing required.

They had still been seated at the kitchen table, even though dinner was long gone, when Kingsley Shacklebolt had arrived. He told them about the captured Death Eaters being very new and young recruits. They had all been questioned under veritaserum, and one had actually thanked the aurors for capturing him. He'd been heavily pushed to join, with the fate of his younger sister as a strong incentive. Being locked up shortly at least gave him the knowledge he'd done nothing harmful, today's attack being his first action as a Death Eater. Kingsley confirmed that indeed the man had a young sister, about to attend Hogwarts as a first year. The family had been informed and would be going for an extended holiday, only returning when school started again.

The interrogations also answered the question several order members had had. Unlike their fear that Harry's presence at Diagon Alley had been reported, the attack had been prepared and planned, and it was only bad timing that had the death eaters show up when Harry and his friends were around.

The aurors had continued to talk about the death eater attacks and their tactics to send dementors ahead to weaken the victims, to which Kingsley had reported the latest news. One of the men who'd helped with a patronus at Diagon Alley that afternoon, had returned home to his wife and two small children. While still recounting the story, he'd started to feel all cold and had recognised the feeling from the Alley. He'd warned the aurors, sent his wife and kids over to the Leaky Cauldron and together with the one auror had been able to conjure a patronus and dispose of the attacking dementors. Once again, two death eaters had appeared after the auror, and they too had been captured.

"It seems that somehow he's become extra sensitive to them and is at the same time able to combat them because of a "warm feeling" he's gotten since this afternoon. The "warm feeling" and "hearing my wife laugh", or a variation to that last, seem to be a major contribution to the overall success. People reported attending the defence class only yesterday, barely managing to produce a whiff of silvery stuff, but today managed a full corporeal patronus. That "warm feeling" seems to be a powerful spell or charm and it's given lots of people hope they can after all get rid of Lord Voldemort and his death eaters."

Harry had remembered something the head centaur at Black Manor had said when they'd met. Something like "The warmth will be spreading with the hope." He decided to start paying more attention to what the centaurs at Hogwarts were saying, that much was certain.

With the serious stuff well talked about the subject changed to education, OWLs and NEWTs and more specific Hogwarts. Since most had attended that school at once stage or another many hilarious stories came out, some even rivalling those of the twins. But the students also received a few tips on how to survive the coming NEWT years, regular work and study being the backbone of success.

It had been quite late when the first order members started leaving for the evening and soon everyone was getting ready for bed. Harry figured he'd have trouble sleeping after the eventful day but in truth he was out like a light the moment his head touched the pillow.

It was quite late when Harry awoke and by the time he made it down for breakfast it was just gone nine o'clock. He found both Remus and Tonks sipping tea in the kitchen.

"Good morning sleepy head" smiled Remus at him.

"Morning, Harry" added Tonks.

"Good morning, Remus, Tonks. Have you had breakfast yet ?" he said, as he made his way to the cool box.

Remus answered negatively. "We only just woke up ourselves."

Harry served himself a glass of juice he found in the fridge and asked if they too wanted a bowl of fruit salad to start their day. Just as they sat down to start their salad, Dobby winked into existence in the kitchen and quickly started on the preparation of a more traditional breakfast.

Harry was eating slowly, allowing him the time to talk a little.

"Remus, we have to go back to Diagon Alley today. We still have to pick up our clothes at Madame Malkin and pay Mr Fortescue for the ice cream. Would it be all right if I just popped over by myself. I won't be gone for long. Or, if either of you are available, you could come for extra safety ?"

"I'll come along, Harry, if that's OK with you. It's highly unlikely that anything would happen but this way we'd be a lot happier."

"No, it's fine, Tonks. Especially after yesterday it won't hurt to have anyone around, even if it is to help carry the packages." retorted Harry.

They were all three smiling and returned to their bowl of salad.

"Remus, does Tonks know where we are staying ?"

"I haven't told her, Harry."

"So you won't have asked her yet, either."

"Have I asked Tonks what, Harry ?"

"Guys," interrupted a very curious Tonks, "I'm right here. You could try addressing me directly !"

"Alright, Tonks, do you think your mum and dad might like to visit Black Manor again ? And would you ?"

"Black Manor ?" squealed Tonks, "Is that where you've been ? Can I come please, I'd love to see the place again. Is Blythe still there ? And you'll invite mum ? She'll love it. Uncle would invite us over several times a year and we'd stay the weekend. He was very nice, but then, after Sirius landed in Azkaban he changed. I don't really know what happened to him. And then he died. I remember my mum was very sad when she heard. But that was a long time ago. Oh, you'll make her so happy ! She loved the place."

"Well, that sure answers my questions. Don't worry Tonks, I'll make sure to send out an invitation in the next few days. And you, do you have any holidays coming up, Tonks ? If you wanted, you could join us."

"That will be wonderful, Harry. Just let me know when and I'll be there."

By now Dobby had the rest of breakfast ready and they tucked in. Soon enough the rest of the guests made their way downstairs and while they started on breakfast, Harry and Tonks took the opportunity to return to Diagon Alley.

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Author's Note (2):

Thanks for reading. Would love some feedback from you though.

If you enjoyed this (and previous) chapter(s), you might be interested to know the story is a few chapters further along on my yahoo group (for link see profile page).

See you in TWO WEEKS.

cheers

kadedeetje